As Giles, said.
I used to commute daily in the 80’s and into the 90’s the 12 miles from Woodside Park (north Finchley) into the City. The best bike I did it on? A Honda 250 K1, an excellent motorbike.
To my mind, riding up to Newcastle, unless you intend to take the scenic routes, is about as exciting as a dull day in Wick. If in doubt, read the posts from our northern friends, bemoaning riding down to the Chunnel. You need something to just munch the miles, preferably cheaply and comfortably. A new GS (if you are thinking new) ain’t cheap.
If you have got the room, I’d buy something like a second (or more) hand, CB500 to commute on. Bulletproof, peanuts to run and easy to maintain. You could even take the piss out of GS riders, hooning through the twisties. Then for the longer stuff, an RT or similar. Integral luggage, no need to add bling. All day comfortable. Excellent in all weathers. Will hoon with ease. A decent secondhand RT, added to a decent(ish) CB500 will come out at less than a GS.... and be a feck sight easier to insure if you are living in London.
Have a look at one of Yamaha’s offerings, too. You could commute, hoon and jaunt to the south of Spain on one. Cheap. Bloody good bikes.
I used to commute daily in the 80’s and into the 90’s the 12 miles from Woodside Park (north Finchley) into the City. The best bike I did it on? A Honda 250 K1, an excellent motorbike.
To my mind, riding up to Newcastle, unless you intend to take the scenic routes, is about as exciting as a dull day in Wick. If in doubt, read the posts from our northern friends, bemoaning riding down to the Chunnel. You need something to just munch the miles, preferably cheaply and comfortably. A new GS (if you are thinking new) ain’t cheap.
If you have got the room, I’d buy something like a second (or more) hand, CB500 to commute on. Bulletproof, peanuts to run and easy to maintain. You could even take the piss out of GS riders, hooning through the twisties. Then for the longer stuff, an RT or similar. Integral luggage, no need to add bling. All day comfortable. Excellent in all weathers. Will hoon with ease. A decent secondhand RT, added to a decent(ish) CB500 will come out at less than a GS.... and be a feck sight easier to insure if you are living in London.
Have a look at one of Yamaha’s offerings, too. You could commute, hoon and jaunt to the south of Spain on one. Cheap. Bloody good bikes.